Prior to moving into Higher Education at Northumbria University Michealla held clinical positions wthin Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services including those of Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Supervisor, Senior Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and Team Lead.

She is a Registered Nurse and BABCP Accredited Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer and has over 25 years experience working with children and young people who experience mental health difficulties.  Michealla is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria within the Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies Department where she has programme and module leadership responsibility for the Education Mental Health Practitioner Programme (EMHP). 

Michealla is currently undertaking PhD study (Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health).  Her research study aims to evaluate the delivery of Northumbria University’s clinical training in Parent-led Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (PLCBT) and how this training may affect low intensity psychological practitioners’ confidence and competence in delivering this clinical intervention with children, young people and families.  Her research also aims to identify how these factors may translate into better clinical outcomes for children young people and their families.